Match-box.



F. H. PARRAR, SR-

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1912.

1,042,41 9, Patented 001;. 29, 1912.

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MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

Application filed May 11, 1912. Serial No. 696,708.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK HARRISON FARRAR, Sn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tolo, in the county of Jackson and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match- Boxes, of which the. following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in match boxes or receptacles of the type that are designed to be carried in the pocket by smokers and others, and the invention has for its primary object a simple, durable and .efficient construct-ion of device of this character, the parts of which are so formed and arranged that they may be cheaply manufactured and readily assembled and not liable to get out of order.

A further main object of the invention is a pocket match box which is so constructed and arranged that the matches may be partially ejected therefrom, one at a time, in a positive manner so that the matches may be grasped and entirely withdrawn from the receptacle for use.

A still further object of the invention is a match box of this type which is so constructed that it will act positively and unfailing so long as there are any matches in the main magazine of the device, which is so arranged that the matches will be prevented automatically from dropping down behind the match-engaging lug or finger of the ejector slide, and which will operate practically in an automatic manner to partially eject a match through the discharge opening of the box after the slide has been moved rearwardly by hand to engage the match.

The invention also has for its object a device of this character in which there are a plurality of match-holding magazines or compartments, the present embodiment of the invention including two of such compartments, namely, an intermediate main compartment, at the bottom of which the ejecting devices are mounted, and two auxiliary compartments on opposite sides of the main compartment and hingedly mounted, all of said compartments being open at their upper ends and the parts so arranged that when the supply of matches in the main compartment has become exhausted or V nearly exhausted, one of the auxiliary compartments with a reserve supply of matches therein, may be easily tilted up so as to dis-' charge its contents into the main compartment or magazine and thus increase the serviceability of the device. And the invention also aims to generally improve devices of this class and to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combina tions of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved match box. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33, of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the ejector, and, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the casing.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the accompanying drawing by like reference characters.

My improved dispensing match box includes a main casing A which embodies ends 1, a bottom 2, preferably constructed integral with the ends, and a top or lid 3 which is hingedly connected to the upper extremity of one of the ends and is designed for a spring latch engagement with the corresponding extremity of the other end, so as to close the openings into the magazine that are embodied in the casing.

The main magazine, designated 4, is composed of two parallel plates 5 secured at their edges to the ends 1 and between which are preferably mounted spacing cleats 6, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, the plates 5 lying within the margins of the ends 1 and terminating at their lower edges above the bottom 2, so as to form a space 7, said lower edges being preferably rounded and turned inwardly toward each other, as best illustrated in Fig. 3 so as to form a contracted longitudinally disposed slot 8.

Movable in the space 7 of the casing, is an ejecting device 9 which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is in the form of a substantially flat bar, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, formed at one end with an apertured head 10 by which it is mounted for a sliding movement on a guide rod 11, said guide rod being secured at its ends to the ends 1 of the casing at or near the lower extremities of the latter. The ejector 9 is formed near its other end with shanks 11 which are spaced from each other to form an aperture 12 through which the guide rod 11 passes, a button 13 or other finger piece being secured to the ends of the shanks 11 and said shanks protruding through and movable in a longitudinal slot 14 which is formed in the bottom 2. A lug or finger 14: is formed on one end of the ejector 9 and projects upwardly therefrom, said lug being formed with a reduced portion 15 movable in the slot 8, the rounded upper end of the finger 14L being mounted in between the rounded lower edges of the plates 5, and therefore operable along the bottom of the main magazine 1-.

Secured to the rear end of the ejector 9, are link rods 16, said link rods being adapted to pass outwardly through slots 17 formed in one of the ends 1 of the casing and being secured at their outer ends to the lower free end of a fla Spring Said spring being secured at its upper end to the casing in any desired way. At this point, it will be understood that when the ejector 9 is moved rearwardly in the casing, its ejecting finger 14/ will pass behind and engage the butt end of the lowermost match in the series in the magazine 1-, whereby when the finger knob 13 is released, the spring 18 will be permitted to act to move the ejector forwardly and thereby cause the engaged match to be pushed partially through the discharge orifice 19 of the casing. Prefer ably, this discharge orifice 19 is formed in a bulged portion 20, back of which is an apertured gasket 21 of rubber or the like, said gasket yielding and permitting the matches to be easily forced therethrough, while at the same time, preventing the matches from accidentally falling out through the discharge orifice.

It is obvious that if provision were not made to prevent it, the matches would have a tendency to drop back of the ejecting finger 14, and it would be impossible for said finger to move behind the butt end of the lowermost match of the series in the main magazine 4:, preparatory to the forward movement of the ejector, as just hereinbefore described. To prevent this, the cleats 6 are terminated just above the path of movement of the ejecting finger 14 and just above the discharge orifice l9, and there is formed in one of the ends 1 of the casing in line with said finger and discharge orifice, an opening 22 which is normally closed by a lug 23 which projects therein, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. This lug is secured to the lower free end of a leaf spring 24:, the

other end of said spring being secured to the casing, preferably underneath the attached end of the spring 18, said springs lying one upon the other. It will thus be understood that when the ejector 9 is moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring 18, the finger 1 1 will pass underneath the adjoining cleat 6 and engage the lug 23 and force the same outwardly and occupy the position initially or normally occupied by said lug, so that the finger will be entirely outside of the plane of the butt ends of the matches and the lowermost match in the series will be permitted to drop down in front of the finger 14 for engagement and subsequent ejectment thereby. Preferably, in order to prevent the springs 18 and 2 1 from catching in ones clothing, there are protecting strips 25 secured to the end 1 of the casing, to which the springs are attached, said strips lying on opposite sides of the springs. To enhance the appearance of the box, the opposite end 1 of the casing is provided with a rounded strip 26, and to enable the matches to be easily struck, the lid 3 is preferably formed with a roughened rib 27.

In order to carry a reserve supply of matches in the casing, I have provided, as indicated at the outset of the specification, auxiliary magazines, the same being desig nated 28 and lying on opposite sides of the main magazine 4, the magazines 28 having their outer sides flush with the side edges of the ends 1 and in closed position, practically constituting the two opposite sides of the casing A. These auxiliary magazines are hingedly connected at their upper open ends, whereby their lower ends may be swung outwardly and upwardly so that the open end of one of the auxiliary magazines may be brought into registry with the open end of the main magazine and the contents of the former be permitted to drop into the latter. These auxiliary compartments are frictionally held in closed position and are preferably provided with thumb catches 29, whereby they may be conveniently swung to open position when required.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved match box will be apparent. In the practical use of the device, the magazines are filled with matches, care being taken to select matches that are not bent or slivered or deformed in any way. The heads are all pointed in the direction of the discharge opening 19. When it is desired to partially eject a match from the casing, it is only necessary for the operator to press upon the finger piece 13 and move the ejector 9 inwardly in the casing against the tension of its spring 18 until the finger let engages the lug 23 and moves the latter outwardly and occupies the position thereof, whereupon the match which is lowermost in the series, will be permitted to drop down in front of the finger so that when the finger piece 13 is released, the spring 18 will be permitted to act and the finger 14L engaging the butt end of the match will push the match partially through the opening 19 where it will be in a convenient position to be grasped by the fingers of the operator and entirely withdrawn from the casing.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be made in the constructions, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A match box of the character described, including a casing provided with a magazine, the bottom of which is spaced from the bottom of the casing and is formed with a longitudinal slot, a rod secured within the casing in the space below the bottom of the magazine, an ejector formed with an opening by which it is slidingly mounted on said rod, said ejector being provided with a finger projecting up through and movable in said slot, a finger piece secured to the ejector and embodying shanks which embrace said rod and assist in guiding the ejector thereon, a spring secured to the outside of the casing at one end thereof and normally lying close to said end, and links pivotally connecting said spring with the ejector, the casing being formed with a discharge orifice in line with the finger of the ejector and with an opening through which said links move.

2. A match box of the character described, including a casing provided with a storage magazine and formed with a discharge orifice communicating with said magazine and with an opening in line with said orifice at the opposite side of the easing, a lug yieldingly held in said opening, and an ejector movable in the casing and provided with an ejecting finger movable in line with the orifice and lug and adapted to engage the latter, for the purpose specified.

3. A match box of the character described, including a casing provided with a storage magazine and formed with a discharge orifice communicating with said magazine and with an opening in line with said orifice at the opposite side of the casing, a lug, a spring secured to the casing and normally holding said lug projected into said opening, and an ejector movable in the casing and provided with a finger movable in the magazine in line with the orifice and lug and adapted at the rear limit of the movement of the ejector to engage and force said lug outwardly, for the purpose specified.

4. A match box of the character described, including a casing provided with a main magazine having a discharge opening, an ejecting device therefor, and an auxiliary magazine hingedly connected in the casing along side of the main magazine, the said magazines having open mouths located at the point of hinged connection between the auxiliary magazine and the casing, for the purpose specified.

5. A match box of the character described, including a casing provided with a storage magazine and formed with a discharge orifice communicating with said magazine, an ejector movable in the casing and provided with an ejecting finger movable in line with said discharge orifice, and a lug yieldingly supported in the casing in line with said finger and engageable by the latter in the rearward movement of the ejector, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK HARRISON FARR/AR, SR.

Witnesses:

JAMES S. PARDEE, FRED CHAMBERLAIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

